Many of the most worthwhile vegetables you can grow at home are known as ‘tender plants’ and will not survive outside in cold weather without some form of protection. They are best sown indoors on a warm, sunny windowsill or in a greenhouse – then the seedlings can be planted outdoors when the risk of frost and bad weather has passed. Vegetables that are classed as tender include marrow, courgette, pumpkin, squash, beans and sweetcorn.
Sweet, nutritious and excellent in soups and stews, root vegetables are key players in the autumn garden and the winter table. Root crops are easier to grow than you might think, and with our simple planting tips, you’ll be harvesting your own beetroot, carrots, parsnips, potatoes, radishes, swedes and turnips in no time!
Hardy vegetables are crops that prefer cool growing conditions and include brassicas (broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage and spinach), bulbous vegetables (garlic, onions, shallots and leeks) and perennial artichokes and asparagus.
You can download your free guides to growing tender or hardy vegetables, root vegetables and salad crops below